There's more ads down here, and they help support us so, y'know, check 'em out...

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Al Hirt Gets A Little Squeamish Around This Sort Of Thing

You must now, en masse, order a copy of the debut disc from Cinematic Titanic, "The Oozing Skull". I am currently wiping laughter-ejected tears from my eyes, and I'm only about 15 minutes into the viewing.

To say it's from a bunch of former writer/performers from Mystery Science Theater 3000 is selling them short - these folks were Mystery Science Theater 3000 for much of its run, and they're utterly on their game here. That'd be Joel Hodgson, J. Elvis Weinstein, Trace Beaulieu, Mary Jo Pehl, and Frank Conniff, and for those familiar with the original series, I need say no more. There is fun to be had.

Monday, January 28, 2008

It All Begins Valentine's Day...

Last things first: the next Melody Bar Class Of '77-'92 Reunion is at the Elks Lodge in New Brunswick on Saturday, February 16 - this much you know. (And you also know that there's a hotel discount at the Hyatt, just a few blocks away - book at 1-732-873-1234; ask for a Melody Bar Reunion room.)

But if you want to be sure you're properly tuned up for Saturday, here's a place to prepare on Thursday:


Click for more info and updates


Everyone's returned to New Brunswick, nobody has to cram for any exams, and it's a classic Rutgers Thursday Night...it'll be The Place. Be there.

Music Update #190: Support Your Local Web Radio Station!

Firstly, the important stuff:

Altrok Radio is at http://www.altrokradio.com

Please remember to tune in whenever you can - every hour you listen turns into more visibility for the station; we show up higher in search listings, and such like that. And if you'd like to help us keep the stream running, check out the advertisers if they appeal to you; your interest actually helps fund us.

Now then, in addition to the outstanding Altrok Radio music mix that got us an Editor's Pick nod at Live365 and at About.com, we've added features we know you'll like...

Thursdays at 11:30am Eastern (and repeated at 9:00pm), you get to hear Sean Carolan (often referred to in these dispatches as "me") showcase the new music we've added this week on the Altrok Radio FM Showcase. New stuff, classic stuff, and Jeff Raspe with his Altrok Radio Underground Pick Of The Week...

And on Friday, it's Altrok's Eighties Friday: music from the eighties that mattered then AND now. An eight hour playlist that features some of the best that decade had to offer, drawing from all the music that was available at the time (yes, even from the seventies.)

But for now - we've got songs to let you know about.

This week, our Grinders (the stuff we play heavily) include music from:

- Pendulum
- The Mae Shi
- Evangelicals
- The Ghost Frequency
- Lemuria
- British Sea Power

Plus we've got newly-added music:

- Steve Barton & The Oblivion Click - Goodbye Oblivion
- be your own PET - The Kelley Affair
- Bombay Bicycle Club - Open House
- Mike Doughty - 27 Jennifers
- Evils - You Must Conform
- Gildon Works - Fourth But First
- Hot Chip - The Warning
- The Kills - U.R.A. Fever
- MGMT - Destrokk
- The Mountain Goats - Sax Rohmer #1
- My Robot Friend - Robot High School
- Pigeon Detectives, The - I Found Out
- Radiohead - Jigsaw Falling Into Place
- Spoon - Don't You Evah
- The Submarines - You, Me, & The Bourgeoise
- Sunny Day Sets Fire - Stranger
- Vampire Weekend - Mansard Roof

Our Featured Classics:

- Bis - Everybody Thinks That They're Going To Get Theirs
- The Chameleons, - Don't Fall
- Elvis Costello, - Monkey To Man
- Devo - Snowball (Remix)
- The Fall, - Mr Pharmacist
- Love & Rockets - Kundalini Express
- R.E.M. - Moral Kiosk
- The Stone Roses, - Elephant Stone
- Suicide - Ghost Rider

As always, thanks for listening!

- Sean Carolan
Altrok Radio
On your computer right now at http://www.altrokradio.com

On the radio Fridays at 10pm, at 90.5 The Night

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Get Your Hyatt Room For the Mel Reunion Soon!

Hey kids, don't wait much longer to reserve your room at the New Brunswick Hyatt for the Melody reunion on Feb 16th at the Elk's club. The rooms won't be reserved for us forever, so you don't want to risk not getting one! It's a great way for anyone coming in from distance to have a crash pad just a few blocks away. The Hyatt can be reached at 1-732-873-1234, just ask for a Melody Bar Reunion room.

As for our event, everything is looking good. There's going to be a big crowd again, and I look forward to sweating on all of you. I may also have a surprise or two for everyone, but we'll see if I can work it out...I just spoke with Pinfield and he is very excited about seeing us all. He realizes how amazing this will be and can't wait to spin some classic Mel tracks. He WILL be there, so don't miss him!

There are a few folks MIA from back in the day, and I hope someone out there might be able to contact Joe Canavan, Victor Malafronte, Shakespeare and Frank McGuire. Also for those of you who know Linda Haboush (spelling??) Please make sure she knows about the event. I lost her business card and she'll kick my ass if she were to miss this. And let's get Cal and Steve, OK??

All of you who plan to guest DJ, and you know who you are, please start thinking about your set lists. Focus on hitting a variety of classic Mel tracks from 86 to 92. Let's make sure we play some different stuff from the last event, and last year's play list can be gotten from this website, or just contact Sean, he has the whole thing.

That's all for now, I'll have more updates as we get closer.

Friday, January 25, 2008

The Curious Case Of A DJ

For whatever reason, likely because I tend to be a DJ in spite of myself (and tend to be painfully aware of the whole "theater of the mind" aspect of radio, which is, when all is said and done, never more than an artful facade) there's a reference I keep falling back on - and for the sake of injecting it into the blogosphere, here's a summary; do with it what you will.

In "American Graffiti", Curt (Richard Dreyfus) decides to drive out to a radio station to get them to play a request out to the girl he saw earlier that night that he can't quite manage to hook up with. The station's DJ is Wolfman Jack, and over the air (and blasting out of all the windows of every car on the main drag) it sounds like he's the center of their cultural universe...but when Curt gets to the station, it turns out to be a little shack next to a broadcast tower staffed by an average (if not doughy looking) guy, the station manager, who says the Wolfman's not there, he's just on tape...
           CURT
Well, ah--where does he work? I mean,
where is the Wolfman now?

MANAGER
The Wolfman is everywhere.

CURT
But I got to give him this note.

MANAGER
(taking it from Curt)
Here, let me see the note.
(he reads it)
Hell, that's just a dedication. All
I gotta do is relay it. And it'll be
on the air tomorrow, or Tuesday at
the latest.

CURT
No, no. See, this is very important.
I may be leaving town tomorrow, and
it's very important that I--damn it,
that I reach this girl right now.

MANAGER
You don't know whether you're gonna
leave town or not?

CURT
Well, I'm supposed to go to college
back East tomorrow. And I don't know
if I'm gonna go.

MANAGER
Wait a minute. Have a popsicle.

CURT
No, thank you.

MANAGER
Sit down a minute.

Curt sits down, undecided about leaving
and upset about not being able to get in touch with the lovely
creature he saw earlier that night.

MANAGER
Listen, it's early in the morning.
Now, I can't really talk for the
Wolfman. But I think if he was here
he'd tell you to get your ass in
gear. Now, no offense to your home
town here, but this place ain't
exactly the hub of the universe, if
you know what I mean. And well--I'll
tell you this much--the Wolfman does
come in here now and then, with tapes,
to check up on me, you know, and
when I hear the stories he got about
the places he goes. Hell, here I sit
while there's a big beautiful world
out there, don't ya know. Wolfman
comes in last time talking about
some exotic jungle country, handing
me cigars he says was rolled on the
naked thighs of brown beauties. The
Wolfman been everywhere and he seen
everything. He got so many stories,
so many memories. And here I sit
sucking on popsicles.

Curt looks at him a moment.

CURT
Why don't you leave?

MANAGER
Well, I'm no kid anymore. I been
here a long time. And the Wolfman--
well, the Wolfman gave me my start
and he's sorta become my life. I
can't leave him now. Gotta be loyal
to the Wolfman, you understand.

Curt nods and stands. The manager swivels around
and punches
some buttons, putting on a commercial.

He turns back.


MANAGER
I tell you what. If I can possibly
do it tonight, I'll try to relay
this dedication and get it on the
air for you later on.

CURT
That'd be great. Thanks. Really.

He shakes the manager's hand, then wipes it on his pants.

MANAGER
Sorry, sticky little mothers ain't
they? Bye.

CURT
'Bye.

Curt goes out the door. He starts back out through
the maze
of windows and electronic machines.
Echoing throughout the
rooms, the Wolfman's
raucous voice follows Curt. The Wolfman
howls and Curt turns.

Through the maze of glass, shifting like prisms,
he sees the station manager sitting by the mike--howling!
Then, he laughs and howls again, starting to sing a song
called "Bluebirds on My Dingaling," pounding out the
rhythm on the console.


CURT
Wolfman...

He backs away, leaving the Wolfman, who's on his
feet now,
screaming out the end of the
song, dancing by himself in the
little
glass room, from which his voice radiates out through
the night and around the world...




...the station manager is played by Wolfman Jack (who, by the way, it should be said that John Peel idolized, this bringing the discussion back on topic. John Peel's always on topic.) It's a great "ignore the man behind the curtain" moment that does, actually, kinda sum up what radio's about.

(It's a shame George Lucas, who wrote that, forgot how to write movies...)

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Don't Wait to Reserve Your Melody Reunion Room At The Hyatt!

Hey kids, don't wait much longer to reserve your room at the New Brunswick Hyatt for the Melody reunion on Feb 16th at the Elk's club. The rooms won't be reserved for us forever, so you don't want to risk not getting one! It's a great way for anyone coming in from distance to have a crash pad just a few blocks away. The Hyatt can be reached at 1-732-873-1234, just ask for a Melody Bar Reunion room.

As for our event, everything is looking good. There's going to be a big crowd again, and I look forward to sweating on all of you. I may also have a surprise or two for everyone, but we'll see if I can work it out...I just spoke with Pinfield and he is very excited about seeing us all. He realizes how amazing this will be and can't wait to spin some classic Mel tracks. He WILL be there, so don't miss him!

There are a few folks MIA from back in the day, and I hope someone out there might be able to contact Joe Canavan, Victor Malafronte, Shakespeare and Frank McGuire. Also for those of you who know Linda Haboush (spelling??) Please make sure she knows about the event. I lost her business card and she'll kick my ass if she were to miss this. And let's get Cal and Steve, OK??

All of you who plan to guest DJ, and you know who you are, please start thinking about your set lists. Focus on hitting a variety of classic Mel tracks from 86 to 92. Let's make sure we play some different stuff from the last event, and last year's play list can be gotten from this website, or just contact Sean, he has the whole thing.

That's all for now, I'll have more updates as we get closer.

Ellen Is A Drama[rama] Queen

Attention must be paid to today's Dramarama appearance on the Ellen show...so here it is. Pay attention.



Longtime Altrok-ers may remember John Easdale's live webcast from our Session Suite...and we're extremely proud of him and his crew (and see no reason there shouldn't be more new Dramarama in our future...)

Today, 11:30am & 9pm Eastern: New Tracks Collected On The FM Showcase

Every day, Altrok Radio puts on a newly picked batch of great new music and relevantly-salvaged classics in the kind of punky-new-wave-modern-rock-alterna-indie vein that your local alternative rock station forgot existed.

Plus, today, Altrok Radio takes two hours out to provide you with a guided tour of the newest tracks we've added this week.

It's the Altrok Radio FM Showcase, and it's on today at two convenient times: 11:30am and 9:00pm Eastern.

If you have the need to get all caught up, this is a great time to do it. Plus, you'll notice we said "guided tour" - that's because Sean Carolan, your host, will throw in whatever tidbits he can scrounge up as soon as it's convenient while you're listening.

As if that's not enough, we've also got our daily playlist running, with eight hours of the music that keeps winning us awards and friends everywhere. (Like you, for instance.) Want specifics? How about:

----------------------------

A Flock of Seagulls, American Babies, Kyle Andrews, Arctic Monkeys

The B-52's, Babyshambles, Battle, Big Audio Dynamite, The Black Ghosts, Boyskout, British Sea Power, Broken Records

Cage The Elephant, Cajun Dance Party, Carbon-Silicon, Carter The Unstoppable Sex Machine, The Charlatans UK, The Church, The Clash, The Colour Field, Conner, Bobby Cook, Amy Cooper, Elvis Costello, The Cult

Dan LeSac Vs. Scroobius Pip, Death Cab For Cutie, The Detroit Cobras, Devo, The Diggs, Digitalism, Does It Offend You Yeah, David Dondero

Electric Six, Eliza Doolittle, Val Emmich, The English Beat

Faded Paper Figures, Fischerspooner, Foals, The Futureheads

Garbage, Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly., The Ghost Frequency, The Glad Hearts, The Go! Team, Goldrush, The Goodnight Loving

Billy Harvey, Howlies

IO Perry, The Icicle Works

Johnny Foreigner, Just Jack

KMFDM, The Killers

Ladyhawk, Late of the Pier, Joe Lean and the Jing Jang Jong, Left Right + Centre, Les Rita Mitsouko, Lismore, Los Campesinos!, Louis XIV

The Mae Shi, The Magnetic Fields, The Mary Onettes, The Michelles, Midnight Oil, The Milwaukees, Bob Mould, The Mountain Goats

The Network, New Order, Thao Nguyen and the Get Down Stay Down, The Nice Outfit, November Group

Okkervil River, Operator Please

Graham Parker, The Party Of Helicopters, Philpot, The Pretenders, Prinzhorn Dance School

R.E.M., Radio 4, Radiohead, The Rumble Strips

Saw Doctors, Pete Shelley, Siouxsie And The Banshees, Sir Salvatore, The Spinto Band, Bruce Springsteen, Stars, Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros

Talking Heads, Tears For Fears, Test-Icicles, They Might Be Giants, Those Dancing Days, Tokyo Police Club, Translator, Twisted Wheel

U2, Uh Huh Her

VHS Or Beta, Von Sudenfed, Voxhaul Broadcast

Wait Think Fast, The White Stripes, Wire, The Wombats, Roddy Woomble

XTC

Yazoo, Yeasayer, Yello, The Young Knives

----------------------------


Sound appealing? Then hop aboard!

Monday, January 21, 2008

Music Update #189: Support Your Local Web Radio Station!

Folks,

Firstly, the important stuff:

Altrok Radio is at http://www.altrokradio.com

Please remember to tune in whenever you can - every hour you listen turns into more visibility for the station; we show up higher in search listings, and such like that. And if you'd like to help us keep the stream running, check out the advertisers if they appeal to you; your interest actually helps fund us.

So then, in another stunning attempt to illustrate what's so great about Altrok Radio, let's sidestep our tendency to play a lot of the music that's currently defining the jagged edge of underground pop culture, and focus on our classics.

Our classics are the songs that signify thirty years of rock innovation. Starting with those who rebelled against the bloated, self-important stasis of the rock scene in the seventies, continuing with the artists who stood against empty pop in the eighties, and who clued in early that alternative rock itself had become bloated and self-important by the late nineties. So when we play The Ramones, The Clash, Buzzcocks, Gang Of Four, The Cure, The Smiths, The Pixies, and P.J. Harvey, it's because we know their music remains relevant.

We play our classics not only because they're great, but because, so many years hence, they still have something to say - and our current music is evidence that someone's listening.

(And when we do it all day on Altrok's Eighties Friday, that goes double.)

All that said, bet you're wondering what classic and new songs we've added...

This week, our Grinders (the stuff we play heavily) include music from:

- Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly.
- Bob Mould
- Louis XIV
- The Futureheads
- Lismore
- Dan Le Sac Vs. Scroobius Pip

Plus we've got newly-added music:

- Dive Index - Second Guessing
- Evangelicals - Skeleton Man
- FortyFives - Control
- The Good Natured - Our Very Last
- Hammer No More The Fingers - Orgy
- HEALTH - Lost Time (Pictureplane Remix)
- Joe Jackson - The Invisible Man
- Ladyhawk - I Don't Always Know What You're Saying
- LoneLady - Early The Haste Comes
- The Mae Shi - Run To Your Grave
- The Magnetic Fields - Xavier Says
- Peggy Sue & The Pirates - The New Song (Dan Le Sac Remix)
- Pete & The Pirates - Not A Friend
- Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin - Glue Girls
- We Start Fires - Let's Get Our Hands Dirty

Our Featured Classics:

- The Cure - Jumping Someone Else's Train
- Fun Boy Three - The Lunatics (Have Taken Over The Asylum)
- Tommy Keene - Places That Are Gone
- Let's Active - Room With A View
- Madness - House Of Fun
- New Order - Regret
- Gary Numan - We Are So Fragile
- The Replacements - Androgynous
- The Saints - Big Hits (On The Underground)
- Teenage Fanclub - Sparky's Dream

As always, thanks for listening!

- Sean Carolan
Altrok Radio
On your computer right now at http://www.altrokradio.com

On the radio Fridays at 10pm, at 90.5 The Night

Monday, January 14, 2008

Music Update #188: Support Your Local Web Radio Station!

Folks,

Firstly, the important stuff:

Altrok Radio is at http://www.altrokradio.com

Please remember to tune in whenever you can - every hour you listen turns into more visibility for the station; we show up higher in search listings, and such like that. And if you'd like to help us keep the stream running, check out the advertisers if they appeal to you; your interest actually helps fund us.

Of course, you can't help us if you find that listening is either annoying or difficult, and there are lots of ways you can smooth that process out. Here's a few:

1. Use an MP3 player to listen. Live365, our provider, starts off with a web-based player that uses Windows Media to play the station. Unfortunately, that creates two problems: the station's being translated from its native MP3 format, which deteriorates the sound quality, and the player window itself may open other ad windows that degrade your system's performance.

Thankfully, they provide an option to use your own MP3 player. You can make this change by logging into the Live365 website, then choosing "My Live365" and clicking "listen Settings" - under "MP3 Player", choose the option that enables your own default MP3 player.

Then, when you start the station, just close all the other web-based windows. (If you like having the songs display, you can go to http://www.altrok.com/streams.shtml to see what's playing.)

2. Once you've done that, you might consider using Jet Audio (www.jetaudio.com) to listen. It comes with MP3Pro decoding, meaning you get to listen in fully CD quality.

Now that you've done all that, you might want to know what you're listening to...

This week, our Grinders (the new stuff we play heavily) include music from:

- Mitch Easter
- Lady Fortune
- Cazals
- Eliza Doolittle
- Okkervil River
- Ida Maria

Plus we've got newly-added music:

- Ian Ball - Failure
- Broken Records - A Good Reason
- Dartz! - Network! Network! Network!
- Death Cab For Cutie - World Shut Your Mouth
- Does It Offend You Yeah - Doomed Now
- Foals - Astronauts And All
- The Futureheads - Crash
- The Ghost Frequency - Money on the Fire
- The Magnetic Fields - Three-Way
- Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks - Baltimore
- Bob Mould - The Silence Between Us
- Pendulum - Granite
- These New Puritans - £4
- Vampire Weekend - A-Punk

Our Newly-Added Classics:

- Blur - Jubilee
- The Clash - Complete Control
- Duran Duran - Planet Earth
- The Human League - Seconds
- Joy Division - Incubation
- Ministry - Jesus Built My Hotrod
- Naked Eyes - When The Lights Go Out
- Nirvana - Lithium (Dirty Funker Remix)
- Split Enz - Shark Attack
- David Sylvian - Orpheus

As always, thanks for listening!

- Sean Carolan
Altrok Radio
On your computer right now at http://www.altrokradio.com

On the radio Fridays at 10pm, at 90.5 The Night

Friday, January 11, 2008

Melody Reunion 2008 Update: Hyatt Hotel Room Block Just For Us

Only five weeks to go before the Melody Bar 2008 Reunion starring Matt Pinfield! Just to remind you, it's at the Elk's Club in downtown New Brunswick right across the street from the State Theatre. The event kicks off at six and goes till whenever.

Additionally, I have arranged to have a block of rooms reserved for us at the Hyatt hotel downtown. Now anyone who wants to party a bit extra can just stagger a few blocks and safely pass out with your Melody friends...This is ideal for anyone worried about a late night and a long drive home. So don't let the distance be an excuse, and get yourself a room! The Hyatt can be reached at 1-732-873-1234, just ask for a Melody Bar Reunion room. The rate is only 119! Maybe we can arranged to all eat breakfast together afterwards too...

I have recently spoken with Pinfield and he has reiterated how excited he is to be at this one and is looking forward to rocking us like he did back in the day. Now I know some of you are calling your bookies as you read this to check the Vegas odds on his actual appearance, but this time he means it! Really!

Jigs and I look forward to seeing everyone once again on Feb 16th. Come out early, and have a few drinks for the Elk's charity and dance like it's 1988 all over again. Remember to call and email any missing Mel refugees and make sure they make this one, especially if they missed last years. Anyone who can get either Steve or Cal to make it will be lauded.

See you on the 16th!

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Come Out Thursday!

Getting even more ready today...come out to the Court Tavern, bring your $3 to keep us doing it, and juuuusst wait to hear what we're getting ready for you...

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

It's Tuesday; Plan For Thursday

...because we're planning on bringing you this lil' number...



For those with images disabled, just make your way to the Court Tavern in New Brunswick and connect with our New Wave/Alternative (-punk-modern-rock-indie) mix, on two separate floors of pulsing Altrok action. There'll be drink specials and such like, all for the measly sum of $3, and if you show up before 10pm, there'll be no cover at all. There's LOTS of parking at the nearby deck, too...

Monday, January 07, 2008

Another One Into The Pile.

Just heard the latest track from Shiny Toy Guns, "Rainy Monday"...and if there was ever a confirmation that you shouldn't buy an album for just one track, this would be it. "Le Disko", kinda fun..."You Are The One", not bad, but heading into cliche territory..."Rainy Monday", feh.

So into the "Fool me once..." pile it goes...

Music Update #187: Come Out THURSDAY!

Firstly, the important stuff:

Altrok Radio is at http://www.altrokradio.com

Please remember:

- TUNE IN whenever you can - every hour you listen turns into more visibility for the station; we show up higher in search listings, and such like that. And if you'd like to help us keep the stream running...

- CHECK OUT THE ADVERTISERS on the altrokradio.com page if they appeal to you; your interest actually helps fund us.

-------

COME OUT THURSDAY for "RUNNING W/ SCISSORS"!!

New Brunswick's Monthly Underground / Alternative Dance Night THIS THURSDAY Jan 10th at the Court Tavern.

Featuring your host-Resident DJ's: DJ Iron Mike, DJ Drew and DJ Sean C. of Altrok Radio.com

Guest DJ TM5 also returns to spin both floors.

It's this thursday. No Cover Before 10pm. $3 after 10pm. 21 to enter.
2 Floors with 5 DJ's spinning.

ALSO:
Birthday PARTY For BRETT FARR (THE ARTIST & GENERAL New Brunswick-type FRIEND) TIME TO GUESS THE OLD MANS AGE!! :)

-------------------------------------------
Expect to hear DOWNSTAIRS: 80's, NEW WAVE, CLASSIC Dance ALTERNATIVE, CLASSIC INDUSTRIAL, Synthpop, etc.
Upstairs: NEW and OLD ALTERNATIVE, old school punk and hardcore.
REQUESTS ARE WELCOMED!!!!

including stuff by........
Sonic Youth, The Cure, The Church, Interpol, Skinny Puppy, Anything Box, Black Flag, Devo, Ministry, Alphaville, My Life With The Thrill Kill Kult, Stone Roses, Front 242, PIL, Plasmatics, The Ramones, Joe Jackson, And One, Project Pitchfork, Gang Of Four, Peter Murphy, Dead Kennedys, Circle Jerks, Depeche Mode, Killing Joke, Daft Punk, etc...

Add this to your profile page:
http://www.myspace.com/readysteadygo2

WE ARE PUTTING THE WHEELS BACK ON THE HUB CITY -- NEW BRUNSWICK'S UNDERGROUND ALTERNATIVE MUSIC DANCE SCENE. COME OUT AND SUPPORT!!!!

PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT THE SCENE AND MAKE SOME FRIENDS.

The Court Tavern
124 Church Street New Brunswick

-------

Now then, in addition to the outstanding Altrok Radio music mix that got us an Editor's Pick nod at Live365 and at About.com, we've added features we know you'll like...

Thursdays at 11:30am Eastern (and repeated at 9:00pm), you get to hear Sean Carolan (often referred to in these dispatches as "me") showcase the new music we've added this week on the Altrok Radio FM Showcase. New stuff, classic stuff, and Jeff Raspe with his Altrok Radio Underground Pick Of The Week...

And on Friday, it's Altrok's Eighties Friday: music from the eighties that mattered then AND now. An eight hour playlist that features some of the best that decade had to offer, drawing from all the music that was available at the time (yes, even from the seventies.)

But for now - we've got songs to let you know about.

This week, our Grinders (the stuff we play heavily) include music from:

- Ween
- The Gay Blades
- Candy Panic Attack
- Fiery Furnaces
- Foals
- Bearsuit

Plus we've got newly-added music:

- Bloc Party - Flux
- British Sea Power - Waving Flags
- Dan LeSac Vs. Scroobius Pip - A Letter From God To Man
- Eliza Doolittle - Rolling Stone
- The Helio Sequence - Keep Your Eyes Ahead
- Lemuria - Lipstick
- Los Campesinos! - Death To Los Campesinos
- Louis XIV - Guilt By Association
- Ida Maria - Oh My God
- The Mary Onettes - Lost
- Neimo - Echoing Pixels
- Thao Nguyen and the Get Down Stay Down - Bag Of Hammers
- The Nice Outfit - One Minute Forty-Five
- Philpot - Girls Don't Know
- Roddy Woomble - From The Drifter To The Drake

Our Newly-Added Classics:

- Altered Images - I Could Be Happy (12'' Version)
- Peter Case - Lost In The Sky
- The Church - For A Moment We're Strangers
- The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You
- Thomas Dolby - Neon Sisters
- Hitchcock Robyn & The Egyptians - So You Think You're in Love
- The Jam - Carnation
- Midnight Oil - Best Of Both Worlds
- Robert Palmer - Looking For Clues
- The The - Slow Emotion Replay

As always, thanks for listening!

- Sean Carolan
Altrok Radio
On your computer right now at http://www.altrokradio.com

On the radio Fridays at 10pm, at 90.5 The Night

Sunday, January 06, 2008

Stereogum's 2007 In MP3s [Via Legal BitTorrent]

Stereogum has been kind enough to put all their legally-available MP3s up via BitTorrent, so why not fire up that client and download 3GB of something legal for a change?

It's all in 12 zip files, each representing a month, here. (Sure you could just download the zip files, bandwidth hog, but why not do it the friendly, non-server-killing way, hm?)

Friday, January 04, 2008

Stuff To Do Tonight (And Next Week)

It's simple, really:

If you're out on Long Island, it's gotta be Subculture.

If you're anywhere near Philly, you know you've gotta be at Sex Dwarf.

And next Thursday, don't forget Running W/Scissors at New Brunswick's Court Tavern (where I'll be manning a laptop part of the time, and possibly having a frosty beverage otherwise, so c'mon and have one with me...) And again on Valentine's Day...

...which brings us to the Melody Bar Reunion on February 16...

So much to do, so much to so...
 
Please Look At Our Advertisers (Or The Website Gets It)
Congratulations, you've found the hidden text.
 
Welcome to Altrok.com, also available at AltrokRadio.com and AltrockRadio.com. Here's where the remaining listeners of several fine radio stations have retreated, regrouped, and built a replacement strong enough to stand on its own. It builds on the independent legacy of New Jersey's FM106.3, New York's WPIX and WLIR, Oklahoma's 105.3 The Spy, the pre-buyout mindset of KROQ, WBCN and WHFS and of every other alternative station that was destroyed at a moment's notice - not because they weren't making money, but because there was bigger money to be found elsewhere.
 
We've stood by as truly independent alternative rock radio died. Sure, something called "alternative" took its place, but we know for sure that anything that "tests well" with soccer moms just ain't alternative. (Even if some of us happen to be soccer moms.) So we've taken matters into our own hands.
 
This really is independent alternative rock radio, visible here at Altrok.com and audible at our web radio station. It has the classic music that fired our passions back in the day - or that we maybe only heard about from our elders - but it's mostly made of the new music that does precisely the same for us now. We're paying attention to scenes all over the world, watching the energy build, and waiting to see what it creates. Wherever it happens, we'll make sure you can hear about it here. We've been slowly building all this since 2001, and now that you've noticed us, we're glad you're here.
 
Of course, it's only here because you want it to be here, and it can only stay if you help it along - especially by checking out our advertisers (they support us) and by listening (the more that listen, the more visible we are.) Please use the "feedback" link above to let us know whether it works for you, and what you want it to be as the future unfolds. (And if you need help hearing it, let us know that, too.)